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GOLD -
Carla Rittue of the Sheriff's Office
As the Records Supervisor in the Sheriff's Office, Carla has worked diligently over the
past six years to replace a Records Management System purchased in the 1980s that was out
of date, difficult to support, and equally difficult to integrate with other agencies.
After researching numerous systems with personnel at other law enforcement agencies and
discussing associated issues with staff in the Sheriff's Office, Information Services,
and the County Administrative Office, Carla developed a Request for Qualification and
worked to identify a vendor to provide a new system. She developed an implementation
plan and scope of work, verified adherence to the services to be provided by the vendor,
confirmed the operation of each module, installed the system, trained the trainers,
trained the end users, helped bring the system live, and continues to work with a users
group to make improvements. Simply put, Carla has been a one person army to bring this
system on line during a time of both fiscal hardship and limited resources. She has also
taken the initiative to work with other law enforcement agencies to gain their
participation and help fund future costs of the project. As a result of her dedication,
attention to detail, and extraordinary work ethic, the services provided by the Sheriff's
Records Division, officers in the field, and other staff in the Sheriff's Office have
been significantly improved.

SILVER -
Gina Castaneda, Probation DepartmentAs a Deputy Probation Officer, Gina handles a large caseload involving young people
working through the juvenile justice system, including intake, investigation, field
supervision, home supervision, and electronic monitoring, as well as placement and
prevention of placement for juveniles referred to the Probation Department. She also
works with her peers to encourage young people to take advantage of alternatives to gang
violence and crime by talking with at-risk youth and their families about the many
opportunities available to keep young people out of the juvenile justice system. With a
caseload that included a number of young men who wanted to play soccer as a way to pass
the time, Gina set out to find teams to which she could make referrals for placement.
Finding no options, she volunteered her time to form the Aztecas Soccer Team, comprised
of rival gang members, and has successfully assimilated the players into one sports team,
teaching them that they can be teammates both on and off the field. In recognition of
her outstanding work to improve communication skills, strengthen leadership, and promote
sportsmanship, Gina was recognized as a recipient of a 2009 Jefferson Award. Gina is to
be commended for her efforts on behalf of the Probation Department, and as the coach of
the Aztecas, to help young people make better choices and thereby improve both their
lives and the greater Santa Cruz County community.

BRONZE -
Laura Garnette, Probation Department
Laura serves as the Probation Division Director and is being recognized not only for her
work on a daily basis, but also for her work with the Equity Project. The Equity Project
is a national collaboration of individuals and organizations involved in the juvenile
justice system working to examine the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) youth in juvenile courts across the country. Lack of leadership and
professional guidance for juvenile justice professionals can place LGBT youth at risk of
harmful discrimination and can affect the course of their delinquency cases. In
recognition of this significant problem, Laura spent more than three years working with
attorneys, judges, psychologists, researchers, and advocates to promote leadership and
provide guidance regarding LGBT youth in the juvenile justice system. As the only
Probation Officer on the Equity Project Advisory Committee, Laura played a critical role
in the collection and interpretation of data and in the extrapolation of research data to
recommended practices. Laura's efforts will affect the treatment and outcomes of LGBT
youth across the nation, as well as here in Santa Cruz County, and are deserving of
recognition by County government and members of our community.